Briddick, 26, of Kirkham Row, Beechwood, Middlesbrough , was ordered to pay compensation and carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work by the court, which heard he had stolen £2,300 in two separate thefts from his then-employers in December.

He had taken the cash “on impulse” and spent it on nights out, Christmas presents and gambling.

Mr Stoddart set up CCTV after the cash went missing and caught Briddick entering the same cupboard for a third time - though on that occasion there was no money to take.

Daniel Briddick

Briddick admitted two counts of theft by employee and one of attempted theft by employee.

The court heard the offences were “out of character” and that he “bitterly” regreted it. It was his first conviction.

Mr Stoddart, who set up his company in 2007 and recently moved into a new factory three times the size of the old one, said: “It was a locked cupboard door and there wasn’t a mark on it. It was in a cash box inside there.

“We’d just moved into the new factory so the safes weren’t in place yet.

“It’s not the amount, it’s the effect it has on everybody else.

James Stoddart, Managing Director at On A Roll Sandwich Company

“The girl who counted the money, who’s worked for me for 20 years, couldn’t remember when she counted it so she wondered if it was the new girl she’d left in the office alone.

“The delivery driver who does the banking was the first person I pulled in for questioning, bless him. He was beside himself.